Sometimes the “Resistance” thinks that it can shorten the “Stages of Conflict” while it is still at the beginning of the “Battle of Change”, so it calls for the use of methods based on a large audience base, while it is still isolated from the masses, or have not received adequate support from them yet. One example is the “Resistance” call for “Civil Disobedience” at the beginning of its establishment.

Leadership might come to adopt some means dependent on mobilization in order to:

• Win the lead in media coverage and propaganda for the party or organization.
• Test the opponent’s reaction.
• Break its barrier of fear.

 To this kind of rush several negative consequences, including:

• “Resistance Members” themselves will get frustrated as a consequence of the lack of response of the audience for the activity it called for, and perhaps direct members to be hostile to the public and accuse them of negativity, especially if the substantive, political, and economical conditions to incite a revolution are available.
• Raise the opponent’s morale as a result of the “Resistance” failure in testingthe possibility of mobilization and the extent to which the public is convinced in the effectiveness of their decisions, which shows the “Resistance” in a weak image.
• Disregard of the oppositions’ resolutions and its subsequent calls by the public.

Therefore, when the “Resistance” is at its beginnings, it is preferred to get closer to the public through:

• Identifying an issue directly affecting the masses and can mobilize them.
• Determining the testing scope of the public interaction within a specific geographical area where efforts can be focused. This domain should not necessarily be a city; rather it can be a small neighborhood.
• Specifying an accurate and easy to implement target which is expected to be successfully achieved by a large margin,(1) and it should be taken into account that activities used to achieve this goal does not acquire heroism and confrontation with the security, yet it should incite everyone to participate starting of kids, women and elderly.
• Keen to achieve partial successes in a row to increase public’s faith in the “Leaders of the Resistance”, their effectiveness and ability to direct the struggle.
• Studied media coverage to transmit these partial achievements and highlight them.(2)

The masses usually do not give their confidence to anyone, so one of the most important priorities for the “Resistance” in its early stages is to gain public confidence, prove to them the possibility of progress in the “Path of Change”, and create a direct dialogue with them so that the means will become the crowds’ desire not commands from the “Resistance Leadership” which are rarely responded to by the desirable number.

Raising the roof of goals with the absence of levers that are capable of accomplishing these goals and a decline in the possibility of acting, in fact, act in the opponent’s interest not in the “Resistance” declared interest.

So, the “Leaderships of the Resistance” should not wave to use a method they are certain will not work in the phase the conflict is currently passing through, and must choose from its pool the appropriate means for the nature of the stage. It should not burn a mean which time have not come yet, for the good leader does not plan to fail, or simply intend to record attendance in the field; however he is keen to move from one victory to another.

By Mahmoud Al-Dweik

Translated by Rana Mohammed

July 24^th, 2007